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January 20th, 2009 marked a brand new day in history for the United States of America. Yes, this is the day that President Barack Obama, who won the presidential election with overwhelming approval, was inaugurated into his new position as the leader of our country. He has now carved his own place into the history books as the nation's first ever, black president.
With this election, the United States has proven, without a doubt, that race is no longer the issue that it once was in this country. Never before has a black man been able to win the presidential election, let alone with such an amazing number of votes! However, there are many who are still skeptical of President Obama's worth. Several have voiced opinions that President Obama has no experience and that he lacks the comittment that it takes to be President of the United States. Others claim that he is Satan or the Anti-Christ. Still, others worship him as if he were the son of God, himself. The truth is that he is a human, just like the rest of us. He eats, he breathes, he walks, talks and experiences emotion. The one major difference is that, at the end of the day, he can take pride in knowing that he was able to overcome the views of a few to reach out out and warm the hearts and souls of many.
Does this make him evil? Does this make him good? Soon, we will all find out just exactly what President Obama has in store for the citizens of the United States. Being a good speaker does not necessarily mean that an individual will be a good president but it does not indicate that he will be a bad president either. In fact, many past presidents were fabulous speakers but some of them were not all that productive when it came to decision making in the White House. Others were terrible speakers but were amazing under pressure. What type of President would you prefer to have? Many would choose the latter; however, I want both. It would be refreshing to be able to understand my President and not feel like I am laughing at him every time he speaks, yet I would also like to feel safe knowing that he will make the correct decision during times of crisis, when the pressure is overwhelming and there are only moments to act.
Is this going to be President Obama's legacy? Only time will tell. Many believe that he is more than capable of making his promises to the American people come to fruition; however, there are many non-believers as well. One has no choice but to wonder about our President's capability because it has not yet been shown. For those of us with any common sense, it is natural to worry about the difficult decisions in any given situation that will ultimately effect us, even if they are not our own decisions to be made. The difficulty in this President's path lies with the current economy, the current war and the successful rehabilitation of an entire nation. Regardless of whether or not he excels, President Obama has a great deal on his plate.
Yes, he can, but...will he? Will the President be able to overcome the House and the Senate to initiate some sort of sound policy that will bring our economy back to the flourishing river of plenty that it once was? Will he be able to effectively create a policy that will force large corporations to be more responsible for their actions and pay taxes like everyone else? Will he abolish NAFTA and put into effect a tariff on imports that will level the playing field for manufacturers in the United States? Will he insist that the Federal Reserve is no longer privately held? Will he enforce the laws of immigration or create laws that are more strict in nature to deal with those who violate our borders? Will he choose to bring our troops home to safe, American soil or will he send reinforcements to foreign soil?
All of these questions will be answered within the next four years. The answers will determine whether or not President Obama is, indeed, our savior. My only hope is that every U.S. citizen will stand behind him as he embarks upon this journey. Allow President Obama the opportunity to prove himself to the citizens of the United States. It is simply not American to do otherwise, for we are all created equal and should all be given a chance to prove our abilities before being criticized.
